1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copying system which reads a manuscript picture by resolving the picture into pixels and forms an image thereof on recording paper.
2. Discussion of Background
There have been proposed various types of copying systems which read a manuscript picture by resolving the picture into pixels and forming an image thereof on recording paper. One of the typical copying systems is a digital copying machine. A digital copying machine is largely divided into a scanner section which reads a manuscript picture by resolving it into pixels and a printer section which outputs the image onto recording paper. The scanner section and printer section are integrated and packaged in a housing.
In a conventional digital copying machine, the logic architecture in the copying machine is fully modularized, and the copying function is added when the scanner section and the printer section are physically integrated.
On the other hand, in recent years, in association with the progress in the fields of image processing technology and communication control technology as well a with development of various types of image forming apparatus, a copying system has been developed which can be used as a copying machine by assembling devices such as a scanner, a printer, and a computer. Each device is developed as an independent product and the image data read with the scanner is output to the printer.
However, the conventional type of digital copying machine which is manufactured by integrating and packaging a scanner section and a printer section in a housing has inherent problems as described below.
First, although the size of copying machines has largely been reduced, the size and weight of typical copying machines, excluding ones for personal use, are still fairly large and a reduction of the unit weight is not easily achieved.
Second, it is necessary to integrate all components of the copying machine in a factory, which prevents improvement of production efficiency since this does not promote distributed production sites and the assigning of specific tasks to each production site.
Third, if it is necessary to improve the copying machine or change the design thereof, change of the entire production process for the copying machine is required, so that improvement or change of design is difficult, which in turn makes it difficult to take a quick response to social needs.
Fourth, to satisfy various needs of users as well as to optimize production and distribution costs, manufacturers incorporate as many functions as possible into a copying machine, resulting in odd and unnecessary functions for specific users. The users have no choice but to buy the expensive copying machine. Also it has been impossible to upgrade a copying machine by changing only a portion thereof.
Fifth, when a fault which cannot be repaired occurs in a portion of the copying machine, it is necessary to buy a new copying machine even though the remaining components are functional resulting in increased cost to the users.
On the other hand, copying machines manufactured by assembling components such as a scanner, a printer, and a computer each developed as independent products alleviate the first to fifth problems described above. However, the cost of the entire system increases as compared to an integrated type of copying machine, the size increases since a large space is required for installation of system components, the operability decreases, a buffer memory is usually required, copying time increases, and the copying machine performance is not comparable to an integrated type of copying machine, nor can the copying machine be adequately used in place of an integrated type of copying machine.